1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to spray nozzles and, more particularly, is directed to a rotational spray nozzle which emits fluid in a rotational spray pattern. The rotational nozzle may be used in conjunction with an automotive cooling system, or an automatic emergency cooling and refilling system which detects when the temperature in a vehicle""s cooling system rises above a selected level and automatically activates an atomized spray over the face of the radiator to prevent the engine from overheating thereby allowing an operator to continue driving uninterrupted to a desirable location.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spray nozzles have been described in the prior art. While these spray nozzles may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described. It is thus desirable to provide a rotational nozzle atomizer that can be adapted to fit any application involving a heat exchanger, such as an automobile radiator and transmission cooler/air conditioner condenser coil or residential and commercial central air condenser coils. The present invention can be factory installed or retrofit to existing units and may be automatically activated when a thermocouple detects a high temperature condition and activates a pump that moves fluid from an independent reservoir to atomizers facing the component to be cooled and sprayed thereupon. The atomized spray takes on a spiraling nature due to the presence of a rotational nozzle within the atomizer that is acted upon by the passage of the pressurized fluid traveling through diagonal channels cut in the nozzle""s head.
The present invention discloses a rotational atomizer for spraying fluid onto a surface which is to be cooled by the fluid. A conduit is disclosed containing a plurality of atomizers strategically placed to provide a means of egress for the pressurized fluid during atomization and the resulting spray is ejected upon the object to be cooled such as a radiator or condensing coil. The emission from the atomizer takes on a rotational effect due to the properties of a free-spinning rotational nozzle within the atomizer. The atomizer has a threaded two-piece housing with a central recess and inlet conduit extending longitudinally therethrough and said inlet conduit leads to a fluid inlet recess situated within the interior portion of the conduit and an egress recess on a distal end of the atomizer and in an exterior region of the conduit facing the component to be cooled thereby providing a passageway through which fluid can travel. The central recess houses the atomization components comprising a spring loaded ball-type check valve and an atomizing rotational nozzle having a cylindrical nozzle head and a shank being of sufficient diameter to nestle inside the spring without restricting the potential for the axial rotation of the nozzle. When the atomizer is assembled the nozzle head is placed against the egress recess of the housing with the shank residing within a first end of the spring and the ball of the check valve held in place against the inlet conduit by a second end of said spring. The spring exerts an opposing bias to the nozzle and to the check ball. Fluid enters the atomizer through the inlet recess, passes through the inlet conduit where the flow into the central recess is restricted by the ball of the check valve which is of a greater diameter than the inlet conduit until the pressure within the conduit is greater than the bias presented by the spring resulting in the ball moving away from the inlet recess and compressing the spring thereby increasing the bias applied to the nozzle against the egress portion of the housing. Diagonally cut channels extend from the upper side portion of the nozzle head to the top thereof providing the only path for the pressurized fluid to travel from the central recess to the egress recess. The pressure of the fluid passing through the channels causes the propeller-like axial rotation of the nozzle head resulting in a spiraling, atomized spray.
An object of the present invention is to provide a rotational atomizer which may be used with an emergency cooling and refilling system having a plurality of atomizers.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an atomizer having an internal rotational nozzle and a spring loaded check valve with said spring exerting an opposing bias to the nozzle and the check ball.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle head having a plurality of diagonal channels cut into the upper portion thereof providing a passage for pressurized fluid flow from the side of the nozzle head to the top resulting in atomization of the fluid and the axial rotation of the nozzle as the fluid passes therethrough providing greater force in the ejection of the atomized spray
Additional objects of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.